Fixture

Green & Gold Learn Harsh Lesson At Cyncoed Campus

This rearranged fixture just beat the weather but flakes of snow helped the icy wind to even appear menacing. Beddau were a little light anyway with players having made arrangements to be elsewhere on a blank Saturday and the enforced absence of prop Ben Stephens and late withdrawal of an unwell Dai Francis didn`t augur well. In the circumstances the encounter was a relatively even one until Met were able to strengthen from the Bench while Beddau`s resources were struck by a worrying injury to centre Lewis Egal and an unargued red card to the over eager Ethan Coombes.

Beddau had started well with forwards keeping their opponents on the back foot. A scrum penalty allowed the students to make good ground along the touchline and, when Beddau had dealt well enough with that Mr Cambourne found the Beddau 8 again culpable at scrum time. Once more there was no progress from the lineout but an offence at the clear out gave Tom Morgan a shot at goal which soared between the uprights.

At a lineout on halfway the ball was transferred to the thee quarters when full back Jordan Roberts appeared between his centres, stepped then accelerated for a try that Tom Morgan converted.

From the restart Beddau advanced and when the scrum shoved the students backward scrum half Tom Slater dashed between defenders and had Lewis Egal on hand for a fine try that Zac Byard converted.

Sadly, Lewis Egal was not around much longer. Beddau were now pressing but Jordan Roberts began a counter and in attempting a tackle Egal twisted awkwardly. The full back ran elusively and strongly to complete the try, again converted by Tom Morgan, and though Egal tried to continue it was to no avail. The Club will be hoping this is a fresh injury and not further damage to the joint that kept Lewis Egal on the sidelines for 16 months.

Tom Morgan stretched Met`s lead to 20-7 from a penalty at the breakdown before Zac Byard picked up 3 points for Beddau when Met`s scrum went to ground. The half ended with Beddau spurning two try-scoring opportunities, both involving Adam Ashford, before Jordan Roberts again stepped and strode through some disappointing tackles to claim a first half hat trick. Tom Morgan was again on target.

Prior to that Adam Ashford had cut the line with a searing break. His inside pass with a solitary defender to beat went astray, but shortly afterwards some neat work by Zac Byard gave the supporting Ashford another attacking opportunity. This time the centre straightened and, with Joe Casella and Marcus Jones on his outside went for the solo option and found the route blocked.

By half time, Beddau trailed by 27-10 and had lost Lewis Egal whose replacement Owain Cotter went to full back releasing Joe Casella to his favoured slot on the wing and allowing the impressive Tyler Wells to line up in the centre.

From the restart Beddau were dusting themselves down again as Tom Morgan struck a penalty awarded at the collision. With the forwards continuing to impress Beddau spent a lot of time around the Met 22 but some good combinations took the students to halfway before Ethan Coombes was guilty of a tip tackle that earned a straight red. Met worked the touchline and with big ball carriers Dan Kennett and Joe Jackson having bulked up the scrum set about a period of attrition. Joe Casella was now in his third position of the day having taken over at scrum half when Tom Slater finally gave best to a facial injury incurred in the games opening minutes.

The driving Met forwards reached the line where burly centre Tom Morgan appeared to stretch for an unconverted score. His kicking was back on song when Joe Jackson finished another forwards inspired effort but the last word was with Beddau. A scrum penalty was quickly made a tap and go by Joe Casella who found Glenn Slater on an unstoppable charge to the line. Zac Byard had been required to leave the proceedings following a blow to the head and the conversion was not made.

Beddau are grateful that Met were able to accommodate this fixture so soon after the postponement of the original fixture and while smarting at the extent of the defeat will know that scoring opportunities had been created and that some fringe players had contributed very well.